Ray Latif is the lead host, producer, and content editor of Taste Radio, BevNET’s flagship podcast and the go-to show for food and beverage industry insights. With 14 years of experience in the industry, Ray is a seasoned journalist known for his sharp interviews and in-depth coverage of trends, innovation, and news. He began his career at BevNET as an assistant editor, later advancing to managing editor of both the website and magazine. Since 2016, he’s been the driving force behind Taste Radio, overseeing everything from content strategy to production. Ray’s conversational style and meticulous research have earned him widespread praise from both guests and listeners. He has had the privilege of interviewing a diverse range of high-profile figures, including Patrick Mahomes, Jennifer Garner, Dan Aykroyd, Kobe Bryant, Padma Lakshmi, and Brad Paisley. His ability to connect with entrepreneurs, celebrities, and industry leaders has made Taste Radio a must-listen for anyone interested in the evolving world of food and beverage.
Following the dismissal of its lawsuit against San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera, Monster Beverage Corp. has issued a statement in response to one released by Herrera’s office earlier this week.
Seven months after Monster Beverage Corp. filed a lawsuit against San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera, one that aimed to block his investigation into the company’s marketing practices and regulate the caffeine content in its energy drinks, a federal judge has dismissed the case.
Last week, Whey Coco, which markets a powdered blend of whey protein and coconut water, announced a new broker agreement with SoCal-based beverage incubator L.A. Libations. The deal has been in the making since June and recently produced a major retail placement for the brand: Whey Coco will gain shelf space in select Kroger stores in the Northeast beginning in March 2014 with plans for a national launch later in the year.
On Tuesday, the food safety body of the European Union released its long-awaited report on aspartame, concluding that that artificial sweetener is safe for humans consume at the current levels that it is used in food and beverages. As expected, the European Food Safety Authority's opinion was praised by the American Beverage Association and infuriated some consumer watchdog groups. But will the decision have an affect declining sales of aspartame-sweetened drinks?
Nearly a month after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils, the major dietary source of trans fat in processed foods, are no longer GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe), a prominent consumer advocacy group is calling for an end to the use of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
CORONA, Calif., Dec. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ ––Monster Beverage Corporation (Nasdaq: MNST) today released the following statement in response to a paper presented at the Radiological Society of North America’s annual…
Start with a little (grape-flavored) holiday cheer, mix in a few warnings about sugary drinks, and finish with a sprinkling of rare tea, and you’ve got the Thanksgiving edition of Press Clips!
Last week, Bai Brands formally announced a new national distribution agreement with Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPSG), to bring its Bai 5 brand of coffee fruit-infused drinks into the soda giant’s vast DSD network. Ben Weiss, the founder of Bai, said that the deal will vault the brand onto the national stage, particularly with a partner like DPSG, which he said “has a real seat at the table” and “puts a lot more wind in your sails as you look to bring on national chains and satisfy that national footprint.”
A federal judge has tentatively approved a settlement in which the makers of Muscle Milk will create a $5,275,000 million fund for consumers adversely affected by marketing of the products. The settlement, in which Cytosport Inc. denies any wrongdoing, will resolve a 2011 false advertising lawsuit filed against the company.
In an investor call yesterday morning, Campbell’s Soup CEO Denise Morrison said that "proliferation of specialty beverages and packaged fresh juices" is having a significant effect on first quarter 2013 sales of its V8 brand of shelf-stable juice drinks.
Beverage entrepreneurs often hear about ways that they might succeed in a rough-and-tumble and unforgiving industry: start small, build regionally, create a memorable brand. But what about the -- often unspoken of -- ways to fail in beverages?
Although water has overtaken carbonated soft drinks as the most consumed beverage among U.S. adults, children and teens remain more likely to choose drinks like milk and soda than water, according to a new report from The NPD Group, a market information and advisory firm.
Honest Tea is facing a proposed class action lawsuit which alleges that the company is dishonestly marketing Honey Green Tea because the beverage doesn’t contain the amount of antioxidants that it lists on the label. The lawsuit accuses the Coca-Cola-owned company of misleading consumers about the actual amount of “antioxidants green tea flavonoids” in the product.
Continuing its foray into carbonated beverages -- and celebrity partnerships -- AriZona Beverages today announced that it has joined forces with former reality TV star, beverage entrepreneur and current talk show host Bethanny Frankel on a new line of five-calorie sparkling waters called Skinnygirl Sparklers.
